Newspaper Page Text
JUNE 9,
2010
Inside: Traveling soccer team thrives in Athena League — page 2B
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Section B
Jefferson Rec Dept
Sea Dragons splash into season
AN EXPANDING Jefferson Recreation
Department swimming program opened its
season with a dual meet this past Thursday,
the first event of a seven-meet regular sea
son.
The Sea Dragons, who swam against the
Collins Hill Stingrays, enter their fifth year
and already sport a roster of 117 kids.
According to team administrator Chad
Klink, the Sea Dragons fared particularly
well in the 12-and-under girls, 10-and-under
boys and 10-and-under girls ranks as the
season got under way.
Klink noted that the Sea Dragons faced a
powerhouse in their first meet. The Stingrays
have been around for 30 years and have won
the last two league championships.
The Sea Dragons have this month to prep
for postseason meets next month.
The district meet is July 10; the North
Georgia League Championships are July
16-17; and the state meet is July 23-24.
BACK IN THE POOL
The Jefferson Sea Dragons’ Brianna Gaba competes
this past Thursday in the team’s season-opening meet
against Collins Hill. Photo by Ben Munro
FORMER PRO
Georgia native and for
mer Buffalo Bills run-
ningback Joe Burns
will speak Friday at
East Jackson.
Guest Speaker
Former NFL
player to
speak at
East Jackson
AREA ATHLETES will
have the opportunity later
this week to learn about
scholarship opportunities
from a former professional
football player.
Georgia native Joe Bums,
who played for the Buffalo
Bills from
Coming Up
2005, will
speak to
athletes
from
around
the area
of both
genders
about scholarship oppor
tunities available through
the National Collegiate
Scouting Association Friday,
June 11. at the East Jackson
Comprehensive High School
gym. beginning at 6 p.m.
Bums was part of the
Thomas County Central
High School team that
earned three state titles in
four years and was twice
named Georgia Player of the
Year.
He moved on to Georgia
Tech, where he became an
All-ACC running back his
junior year and went on to
become the fourth-leading
rusher in Tech's history.
Bums went on to play in
58 games in four years as a
professionl for the Buffalo
Bills, retiring in 2006.
•Former
NFL player
Joe Burns
will speak
at EJCHS
Friday, 6 p.m.
Jackson County Brevet, June 19, Braselton, 8 a.m.
Braving The Brevet
RIDING FOR A CAUSE
Cycling coach and enthusiast Robert Wilhite is spearheading the inaugural
Jackson County Brevet, which could draw anywhere from 250-300 cyclists,
to raise money for aplastic anemia research. Submitted photo
“The Braselton-Jackson County area is
really an untapped cycling arena, so that
was one of the reasons that I chose that
area, ” — Robert Wilhite, Jackson Co. Brevet organizer
Coming Up
•What: The Jackson Co. Brevet, an endurance bicycling event
•When: June 19,8 a.m.
•Where: Starts at Zion Baptist Church in Braselton
•What else: This is the first Brevet in Jackson County. The
event offers four different courses, including a 102-mile ride. Two
international cyclists will participate in the event.
100-mile cycling
event in Jackson
County offers
endurance test
By Ben Munro
N CYCLING
terminology, “bre
vet” is a French
word that refers to a
long endurance ride.
That’s just what cyclists
can expect on the roads of
Jackson County June 19
as they test their mettle in
the inaugural, 100-mile
Jackson County Brevet.
“The Braselton-Jackson
County area is really an
untapped cycling arena,
so that was one of the
reasons that I chose that
area,” said brevet orga
nizer Robert Wilhite.
Pronounced “BRU-
VAAY,” this century bike
ride starts and ends at
Braselton’s Zion Baptist
Church. Between 250 to
300 cyclists are expected
to participate. The event
begins at 8 a.m.
This is not a race.
Brevets are non-compet
itive events that honor
those who finish. In
addition to the 100-mile
route, 65-mile, 35-mile
and five-mile options
are offered. Rest stops
are every 18 miles.
Wilhite, head cycling
coach for the Atlanta
Triathlon Club and the pro
prietor of mycyclecoach.
com, said 170 people
from four different states
have already registered.
What’s more, the
Jackson County Brevet
has been featured on more
than 40 Facebook cycling
group pages, and informa
tion has been sent to over
60,000 email addresses.
Wilhite expects 100 to
150 more cyclists to sign
on as June 19 nears.
‘This is huge,” said the
47-year-old Wilhite who’s
ridden in over 170 of these
events and hiked nearly
100.000 miles in 11 years.
Century rides are popu
lar in the Atlanta area, but
Wilhite, who lives in
Lawrenceville, saw some
thing in Jackson County
that needed to be explored.
The county’s pre
dominantly flat and roll
ing terrain lends itself
to biking, he said.
“Oh, absolutely.” Wilhite
said. “There’s a terminol
ogy in the cycling com
munity of being able to
do a century in a sub-four,
which basically means
less than four hours.”
And that’s what
Wilhite — who’s organiz
ing his first century ride
— thinks he’s found here.
Wilhite, who drove over
800 miles of county roads
scouting out potential cours
es, said the Jackson County
Brevet is comparable to
the Covington Century —
an event that fast riders
and local cycling teams
show up for in droves.
“I wanted to add a second
option to the calendar with
the Jackson County Brevet,
because the terrain is
extremely similar.” he said.
See Brevet on page 2B
Atlanta Drag way
Consistency pays
off for Onda
with dragway wir
By Amy Glover
NOT EVEN a brief rain delay
could slow the fast cars and fast
times at the Atlanta Dragway in
Commerce this weekend, high
lighted by Jim Onda’s consis
tency in his Super Pro paying
off and by
Coming Up
•NHRA
Unleashed, June
11-13 at the
Atlanta Dragway
in Commerce.
two long
time Junior
Dragster
racers claim
ing their first
ever wins.
Super
Pro saw an
all-drag
ster finale, with Onda. from
Danielsville, and Buford’s Don
Brown, Jr.
Onda jumped a .019 green
light on a 4.85 dial-in. as Brown
claimed the tree with a formi
dable .008 reaction time on a
4.83 dial. The men were neck-
and-neck until Onda crossed first
with a dead-on elapsed time at
141.77 mph for the win. Brown
finished with a 4.84 second ran
at 141.76 mph. giving Onda a
.005 margin of victory.
Pro finalists Travis Bryant,
Bowman, and Eric Smith,
Baldwin, faced off in their final
passes. Bryant dialed in at 6.36
seconds against Smith’s 6.81
prediction. Smith was a little too
eager, and launched early with a
-.024 red fight, instantly giving
the win to Bryant, who followed
with a safe .109 green fight.
Smith ran it out in 8.07 seconds
at 67.44 mph, while Bryant made
his victory lap in 6.39 seconds at
107.81 mph.
Jackson Co. Parks and Rec
JCPR sports
camps offered
THE JACKSON COUNTY
Parks and Recreation depart
ment will hold several sports
camps in the coming weeks.
Golf camp is June 14-17 at
a cost of $125, including golf
clubs. Those using their own
clubs pay $65. The camp is at
Lamar Murphy Park from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. for ages 7-12.
Call 706-367-6350 to pre-reg
ister.
Eurotech soccer camp will
be held at Lamar Murphy Park
July 12-16 at a cost of $100.
There are two age groups. Call
706-367-6350 to pre-register.
A basketball clinic will be
held June 21-24. Cost is $65 for
ages 7-12. Call 706-367-6350
to pre-register.
A cheerleading clinic will be
held at Lamar Murphy Park
July 26-30 for ages 6-12. Cost
is $65. Call 706-367-6350 for
more information.
Coaching Profile
Handing it over to Hawley
Longtime basketball coach
lured out of retirement
to take over JCCHS girls’
By Ben Munro
EVEN DURING his retirement from
coaching basketball, John Hawley didn’t
stray too far from the court.
He was an instructor for player develop
ment at the Suwanee Sports Academy where
he worked with former NBA star Mark
Price. In his spare time, Hawley also assist
ed with training last year for the Jackson
County Comprehensive High School bas
ketball programs.
“I kind of developed a rapport with the
kids,” Hawley said.
The John Hawley file
•Age: 54
•Position: new JCCHS
girls’ basketball coach
•Career: Has coached for 30 years in four
states, winning a state title in Oregon
•What else: Has worked in player
development for the Suwanee Sports
Academy
So when the opportunity arose to coach
the Jackson County girls, Hawley decided
he’d get back into the game — not that he
was ever really out of it.
“I said, ‘yeah, I’d love to,”’ said Hawley,
who last coached the Dacula High School
boys, before retiring in 2005. “I really love
the kids up here ... I’m just excited about it
and having a great time.”
The coaching career of the recently un
retired Hawley career spans the map as
he comes to Jackson County with 30 years
of experience in four states, including a state
title in Oregon in the boys’ ranks.
“He just brings a lot of experience and
energy to our program,” JCCHS athletic
director Joe Lancaster said.
Hawley, who replaces Chad Pittman, was
selected from a pool of several candidates
and three finalists. He was hired May 25.
The Jackson County Board of Education’s
handling of the hiring process wasn’t with
out debate.
See Hawley on page 2B
A RETURN TO COACHING
New JCCHS girls’ basketball coach John Hawley
has 30 years of experience and one state title to his
credit. Photo by Ben Munro